Towering defender Michael Nelson feels Norwich City sent out a chilling warning to the rest of the Championship with yesterday’s epic 4-2 comeback win over Sheffield United at Carrow Road.

Nelson grabbed City a first-half foothold with a close-range equaliser after Andy Reid’s free-kick had flown past goalkeeper John Ruddy to give the Blades the lead, but it took Wes Hoolahan’s second-half hat-trick, which included two penalties, to maintain their play-off push after they trailed at the break to Richard Cresswell’s strike.

The Canaries are fifth in the table, but just one point behind second place, as they prepare to welcome leaders Queens Park Rangers to Carrow Road on Saturday. Nelson said: “A win like this can give us even more belief, because we know we can do the business even when we are not on top form. It’s a sign of a good side if you are not quite there and still picking up points. It also lets other teams know that as well because they will look at this game and see we didn’t play well but won, which just shows the character and the resilience of the lads.

“It wasn’t brilliant. A few of the lads were sat in the changing room after the game and said, to be fair, we played better against Portsmouth and got nothing for it. It’s an old clich� but it’s all about results –that is the industry we are in and I’m sure a fair few of the fans went home happier after this game than the Portsmouth game.” Nelson took his place in a remodelled defensive three with the injured Elliott Ward and the suspended Leon Barnett both ruled out but City struggled to hit the heights of recent away day successes at Derby and Coventry sandwiched around that Pompey defeat.

He said: “That is the way the gaffer wanted to go and we tried to get it down and play it out from the back but obviously we changed halfway through the first half. Whether we were in a three or a four I don’t think we were great – even when we came back out in the second half – we can be better but we managed to get the points. The gaffer makes the point before home games but teams come here and there is no pressure on them. You have 25,000 home fans shouting and cheering and they can almost come and play with a freedom. The onus is on us. You go to an away ground and it switches but that is something we have to deal with and we are dealing with. I think we have picked up a lot of good points away from home but this result shows we can also do the same at home.” Nelson is looking to cement his place in the starting line-up after impressive early-season form was curtailed by an ankle injury.